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Topic: New colony w/varroa (Read 2391 times)

I bought my first hive 3 months ago, love it so much I bought another 3 days ago. I have sat in a chair beside my first hive for hours watching, never saw any Varroa. This new colony is full of them I see several every time I look at them. Question is: The hives are 5 feet apart, should I move the infected hive to the other side of my property (1 acre) until they get a treatment? And what treatment should I use? I was leaning toward the quick strips. All the research I have done tells me the first hive probably has Varroa, I just havent seen them. But you cant look at this new hive without seeing them! So I am kinda clueless about what to do.

you might want to try to get a better idea of what the mite count is. there are several methods and you can either search here or google. after that, if you choose to treat, i'd go with one of the Thymol products. here is some info on use so that you can see if it fits your needs. you can look the product up separately for more info.

.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called the government. They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

If you are seeing mites on the bees the colony will have a huge population of them. No need to move the colony but treat as soon as you can. I would treat both colonies at the same time since both will have mite populations. You can do mite counts before and after to verify that you get a good kill. The formic acid or thymol products are your best choice. The only problem may be what your temperature is in your area as both products are temperature sensitive.

Agreed with KathyP - get a mite count on BOTH colonies first by either 72-hour drop onto a sticky board or a sugar/ether roll. The sticky board drop is probably easiest for a new beek.

Then, you will know how many mites you have and can treat one or both colonies with the product/methods of your choice. Just don't go for the Apistan or CheckMite...many many areas now have strong resistance in the mites to these products, so they won't do much good.

Then, after you treat, remember to do another mite count on both colonies (even if you only treat one). Get in the habit of keeping count of your mites all the time, not just when you see a problem. This will give you the information you need to track the mite population and know when it's just a pest and when it's really a problem.

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The bees would be no help; they would tumble over each other like golden babies and thrum wordlessly on the subjects of queens and sex and pollen-gluey feet. -Palimpsest

To the brood part you give 3 weeks thymol cure and you catch all mites from them. After cure put a new laying queen into the hive.

I would not do this it is to late in the season (2st week in August) to a split in Athol,Massachusetts 01331 USA In Greenville County, South Carolina USA I do not know. But you can try it. Just my 0.02

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

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"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may remember,involve me and I'll understand" Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways." John F. KennedyFranklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Hey JIM 134, My name is Jerry and I am a first year beek. I also live in Athol up by the golf course I have two hives and would like to trade methods and thoughts experiences with you being from the same area!!!!!!!!!

"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may remember,involve me and I'll understand" Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways." John F. KennedyFranklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/